Thomas thomson



. T THOMSON. MACHINERY 0R APPARATUS FOR HANDLING, MANIPULATING, 0RTRANSPORTING STEEL AND LIKE METAL PLATES. APPLICATION FILED MAR. i,1919. 1,305,319. Patented June 3,1919.

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T. THOMSON. MACHINERY 0R APPARATUS FOR HANDLING, MANIPULATING, ORTRANSPORTING STEEL AND LIKE METAL PLATES. APPLICATION FILED MAR. l.1919.

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T. THOMSON.

MACHINERY 0R APPARATUS FOR HANDLING.MANIPULATING,OR TRANSPORTING STEELAND LIKE METAL PLATES. APPLICATION FILED MAR. I 1919- Patented June 3,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 T. THOMSON. MACHINERY 0R APPARATUS FORHANDLlNG,-MANIPULATING, OR TRANSPOBTING STEEL AND LIKE METAL PLATES.

I APFLICATION FILED MAR-1, I919- 1,305,319. I PatentedJune 3,1919.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS THOMSON, or SCUN'TI-IORPE, ENGLAND.

MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR HANDLING, MANIPULATING, OR TRANSPORTING STEELAND LIKE METAL PLATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 3, 1919.

Application filed March 1, 1919. Serial No. 280,107.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS THOMSON, a subject of the King of GreatBritain and Ireland, and resident of Scunthorpe, 1n the county ofLincoln, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machineryor Apparatus for Handling, Manipulating, or Transporting Steel and likeMetal Plates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to the handling, manipulation ortransportatlon of steel and like metal plates (herelnafter referred toas plates or as metal plates), in relation-to machinery or apparatus,such, for example, as shearing machines, punchlng machines, bendingmachines, or 1n or about workshops or yards, and the invention has forits object 'to provide machinery or apparatus by means of which certainadvantages shall be obtained.

The handling, manipulatlon or transpor tation of metal plates inrelation to machinery or apparatus in or by which they are acted upon ortreated, or 1n or about workshops or yards, is usually efi'ected bymanual labor, though proposals to use machlnery or apparatus for theworkhave been made. In connection with machlnery or apparatus for thepurpose mentioned it has also been proposed to employ electromagnets.

The present inventlon provldes machlnery or apparatus for the handling,manipulat on or transportation of metal plates in relation to othermachinery or apparatus or in or about workshops or yards and machlneryor apparatus in accordance with thls lnventlon comprises, inter alia, anelectromagnet or electromagnets. I

Machinery or apparatus for the purpose as specified and in accordancew1th .th1s nvention comprisesa carriage or a palr of 1ndependentcarriages mounted to run upona track or on tracks either on or above theground, a jib. or extension of rigid construction mounted on thecarriage or on each of the carriages, anelectromagnet or electromagnetsmounted on each 0 the 1bs or extensions, means for moving the carnage orcarriages on thetrack or tracks and means for moving the electromagnetor electromagnets on each of theqibs or, extensions above the face ofthe plate-to be handled, manipulatedgor transported independently of themovements imparted to the carriage or carriages.

Further, in accordance with this invention, machinery or in combinationwith friction reducing means comprising a bed or plurality of rollers orcasters or both, said friction reducing means being arranged either atground level or at a convenient height thereabove.

When the carriages are mounted to run on a tracklaid upoil the ground,they are capable of movement only in two directions, but when the trackupon which they run is mounted on what may be called a secondarycarriage which is itself mounted to run on a track at right angles tothat of the track 1t carries, the two carriages are capable of snnple orcompound movement.

The jibs or extensions of rigid construction are mounted upon thecarriages and extend therefrom either forward, sidewise, or downward,and their mounting may be such that they are capable of movementindependent of that of the carriage.

Each electromagnet or the electromagnets is or are mounted upon its jibor extension or their jibs or extensions so as to be movable in relationthereto. Referring tothe accompanying draw- 1ngs:

Figure l is a diagrammatic sketch plan; Fig. 2 is an elevation and Fig.3 is a plan View of a carriage with jib or side extension;

Fig. 4 is a plan and Fig. 5 is an eleva- (31051 of another constructionof carriage; an

Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views to Figs. 4 and 5 of a furthermodification. l is the usual cross cut shears and 2 is the side shears.Interpo'sed between the apparatus as described is usedv cross .cut andside shears 1, 2 are friction reducing means comprising a plurality ofrollers Sand casters 4. The casters 4 are preferably of non-magneticmaterial and are mounted upon swiveling supports 6 so that the plates 5can be moved both longitu: dinallly and laterally. 7 is a track arrangedat t e in front of the shearing machine on which two-carriages 8,preferably electrically propelled, are adapted. to run. The carriages 8have jibs or extensions 9 of rigid construction which are mounted .Onthe carriages S at adjacent enols thereof and project over the rollers 3and casters 4. The carria es may thus be regarded as right and eft sideof the rollers and casters and handed. Each jib or extension carries anelectromagnet 10. The disposition of the carriages 8 relative to eachother and to the plate 5 is such as to permit the electromagnets toexert their influence on the plate at any point intermediate its ends.The-electromagnets 10 are carried by cross heads ll which slide inguides 12 in the ijibs :or less tensions 9, and gearing 13, such as wormand Wheel and a screw, preferably driven by an electric motor 14, isprovided upon each carriage to actuate the electromagnet and move "itlongitudinally of its jib or eX- tension'and laterally ofthe carriage.'The electromagnets are nearly counterbalanced by weights 15 and theirpositions relatively to the plate adjusted by "handles '17 which act onropes 16"passing over and under pulleys'1'8 on "thejibs or extensionsand electromagnets. Other convenient means for this purpose could "beemployed.

In the several examples illustrated, each magnet 10 is carried by andprovided with a central upwardly extending post or spindle'20 fixedthereto: The operative connection between 'themagnet and its'cross heador carriage 11, and its controlling cables 16, is established throughthe medium of said spindle. The spindle maintains the lateral positionof the magnet avith respect to the cross head and jib, although I do notwish to limit all features of 'my invention to the employment of suchspindle.

The operation ofthe apparatusdescribed is as 'fol'lows:-

The plate 5 to be sheared passes through the cross cut shears '1 overthe rollers '3 and on tothe casters 4. The carriages 8 have been, orare, moved along the track 7 and when the jibs or extensions 9 are abovethe plates, the handles 17 are actuated and the magnets dropped intocontact with the plate and energized. If rolling supports, such aseither or both rollers 3 and casters l are not provided, the handles 1'7are then again actuated and the magnets with the plate are moved upward,andthe weight of the plate taken wholly by'the elect-romagnets. Whenrollers and (or?) casters are provided, as in the arrangement-beingdescribed, the weight ot the plate may be taken more or less orwholly'ott'the casters The carriages 8 are now traversed along the track7 until the plate is brought opposite the shears'Q. The gearing 13associated with the electromagnets and it may be the carriages 8, is orare then operated to cause the plate 5 to be adjusted laterally untilthe line of shear is under the blade of the machine. 'In the arrangementillustrated and now being described, there are two carriages 8 and :aseach carries an electromagnet each end of the plate 5 can be adjustedindependently and accurately. It will be understood that, in

some cases,it will be unnecessary to use two carriages 8, theelectromagnet on the one carriage being sufiioiently powerful to operatethe plate. After one cut of the shears, the carriages 8 are traversedalong the track 7 and the plate 5 is ad usted for another cut and so on.After one side or edge of the plate has been sheared, it is turnedaround and the carriages are moved in the reverse direction'along thetrack so as to bring the other side or edge under the shear blade.

Each of the carriages may be controlled by.

an operator traveling With it, or by a suitably located electricalcontrol. The car'- riages maybedriven hydraulically or otherwise,instead of electrically, and the electromagnets may be moved along thejibs or extensions in like manner. In the case of large outputs ofplates to be sheared where one side shears could not accomplish thework, the casters 4 may be extended and a similar arrangement to thatdescribed above be 'fitted to cu't't'he second edge.

In Figs, l and '5 the jibs or extensions 9 extend laterally from 'bothsides of the machine and by this arrangement a greater degree ofadjustment is provided than with the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 toSindhisive.

In 'Figs. 6 and 7 the jib or extension "9 is capable of a sluing motionabout the carriage.

Tlaving now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is .1. In apparatus for manipulating plates, incombination, machinery for operating'on such plates, a supporting bedfor such plates adjacent to such machinery, embodying a plurality ofplate-engaging-rolling elements arranged to permit 'iree movement ofeach plate thereon in any direction substantially parallel with theplane of the plate, a movable carriage provided with a magnet supportingjib projecting therefrom, a plates'hifting electromagnet carried by saidjib and adapted to be brought into plate shifting relation to the topsurface of the plate on said bed for positioning the plate with respect.to said "machinery and shifting the plate "to and from the same, andmeans'for moving the electro-magnet independentlyof the movements ofsaid carriage.

'2. ln combination, "in apparatus for manipulating plates, machinery foroperating on such plates, a supporting bed on which such plates can beshifted to and from and positioned with respect to such machinery, saidbed embodying "nonmagnetic rolling elements provided with castermountings to permit free movement of each plate on said bed in anysubstantially horizontal direc tion, and manually controlled means forshifting each plate on said bed with respect to said machinery, saidmeans embodying a movable carriage provided with a projecting jib, anelectro-magnet carried by said jib and adapted to be brought intooperative relation with the top surface of each plate, and means forshifting the position of the magnet with respect to the carriage.

3. In combination, machinery for operating on plates, a supporting bedon which each plate is shiftable in any substantially horizontaldirection to and from and to position with respect to said machinery,and manually controlled mechanism for thus shifting each plate, saidmechanism embodying a movable plate shifting carriage provided with aprojecting jib, and an electro-magnet carried by said jib and adapted tobe brought into operative plateshifting relation to the top face of eachplate on said bed.

4. In combination, machinery for operating on plates, amanually-controlled movable carriage, a way for said carriage adjacentto the path traveled by plates to and from said machinery, a supportingbed for the plates along said path, an electro-magnet carried by saidcarriage and arran ed over said bed, and manually -control ed means forshifting said magnet independently of the carriage, transversely of saidbed and toward and from said machine for accurately positioning theplate laterally with respect to said machinery.

5. In combination, mechanism for operating on plates, a plate supportingbed leading thereto and arranged in front thereof, a track approximatelyparallel with said bed, a carriage movable on said track and providedwith means for propelling the same, said carriage provided with a jiboverhanging said bed, an electro-magnet carried by said jib, andmanually-controlled means for shifting said magnet horizontally towardand from said mechanism, and maintaining the lateral position thereofwith respect to said jib for accurately positioning the plate laterallywith respect to said mechanism.

6. In combination, machinery for operating on plates, a track, andmanually-controlled mechanism for propelling plates, longitudinally tosaid machinery and for shifting them transversely toward and from andaccurately positioning the plates laterally with respect to saidmachinery, said mechanism comprising a pair of separate carriages 011said track, said carriages being movable independently andsimultaneously on said track in either direction, each carriage providedwith an electro-magnet arranged to engage the top face of the plate tobe manipulated, each magnet having supporting means constructed andarranged to maintain the relative lateral position of the magnet duringplate shifting and to enable the magnet to maintain its fixed positionwith respect to the plate while tightly gripping the same duringhorizontal swingin or shifting movements of the plate, anmanually-controlled means for independently moving said magnetsvertically and horizontally while engaging different portions of thesame plate to cooperate in shiftin and horizontally swinging said plateeit er end foremost to accurately position the same transversely withrespect to said machinery.

7. Means for manipulating plates, embodying a pair ofmanually-controlled independently-movable carriages, a way along whichboth carriages are movable separately in either direction andsimultaneously in either direction, each carriage provided with andcarrying an electro-m'agnet adapted to overhang the plate to bemanipulated, and manually-controlled means for independently moving saidmagnets with respect to their said carriages and with respect to eachother to cooperate in laterally turnin or twisting and positioning anelongated p ate, substantially as described.

Dated this 7th day of February, 1919.

THOMAS THOMSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0.

